Leaves From the Vine
by Delphicism
Summary: At the end of Iroh's six hundred day siege of Ba Sing Se, history decided to take a different turn.


The rain was falling hard on the plains that surrounded the inner wall of Ba Sing Se. The grass was charred, and stained with the blood from the bodies of Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation soldiers. Thunder rolled in the dark sky above, and fires burned off in the distance, but other than that the land was silent. Atop a small hill that rose up over the battlefield, near a single tree that stood at it's peak on of the bodies began to move.

Everything hurt as the crown prince used what remaining strength he had to push himself up onto all fours. The taste of blood filled his mouth, his chest throbbed in pain. He could not see out of one eye an the other was blurry at best. His armor was heavy, making it difficult to breath. He pushed himself up to his knees, and reached around, undoing the metal fasteners that held his armor in place. He hissed as the weight shifted, but pushed the armor off and let it fall into the burnt earth. He took a deep breath and looked to the sky, lightning arched and thunder rumbled finally giving way to the summer rain that fell down on him.

Earlier that day, it had been so hot on the field, but the rain was cold making it feel as if winter had come. Lu Ten's arm's began to tremble as the cold washed over him. He tried to remember when it all went wrong, and why he was alive when he knew very well that he should be dead. He had insisted to his father that morning that he be allowed to lead a battalion through the outer wall, where he would establish a post for soldiers to begin positioning themselves in preparations for breaching the inner wall.

The Earth Kingdom army had been waiting for them, and before Lu Ten had even realized what was going on the enemy had sprung their trap, flanking them on all sides. Lu Ten and his men fought bravely, but they were out maneuvered and they fell. Before the killing blow was struck one of the Earth Kingdom soldiers recognized him, and imprisoned him. Their idea was to use the crown prince as a bargaining chip to get his father to surrender, but his father did not take to their bargain, and instead, General Iroh, the Dragon of the West, led a brutal assault on the men of the Earth Kingdom army in an attempt to free him.

After that everything was a blur. At some point he had been freed, and now it was dark out, and there wasn't another living soul in sight. Where was his father? He wouldn't have just left him there. Was he still fighting off were the fires burned in the distance. Lu Ten tried to call out to anyone for help, but as soon as he breathed in the air his chest seized, and then he knew he wasn't going to be talking loudly any time soon. Using all the strength he could muster he stood to his feet, and brought up his hand to conjure a small flame to light his path.

All his military training kicked in telling him to put the flame out, that he was giving away his position in a hostile territory. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He needed to take the chance to figure out where he was, if he had any hope of escaping and getting back to his father. The closest point of reference he could see was a tree that stood at the top of the hill he had awoken on. He could see both walls, but he couldn't tell which was which. He needed to get higher up. He began to walk, limping with every step.

He looked down at the ground as he walked to be sure of his footing, and that was when he realized he was surrounded by dead bodies, both of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. He recognized some of the Earth Kingdom soldiers as the men who had taken him captive, but as he neared the tree he saw something that made him feel sick to his stomach. At his feet was the body of a member of his father's elite guard. Lu Ten began to have a sinking feeling. He began to worry, and suddenly breathing became a difficult task. He had to find his father. Where was his father?

Lu Ten took his eyes away from the soldier, and began pushing himself up toward the top of the hill. His muscles screamed and protest, as he made his broken body move at a fast walking pace, and by the time he reached the tree and braced himself against it he was ready to collapse again. Lu Ten fell to the base of the trunk, wheezing as he attempted to breath normally once again. He could see further now, and he could see the Fire Nation army as it surged through the outer wall. He recognized a few of the banners that belong to General Shu, which would mean that Zhao was down there somewhere, but where were his father's banners? Where was the banner emblazoned with the red dragon?

Lightning shot across the sky, and that was when Lu Ten noticed much to his horror that the hill was littered with the bodies of the elite royal guard. A million thoughts raced through Lu Ten's mind. None that he wanted to accept. He prayed that all of this was a horrible nightmare, but when he felt a familiar hand grasp his, he knew that this nightmare was all too real.

He didn't want to turn his head, to see who had reached out to him, but he did so anyway, and as he had feared his eyes met with those of his fathers. The great general lay at the base of the tree next to Lu Ten. His father looked older than he had ever seen him. He was extremely pale, and his chest rose and fell at uneven intervals. Despite the pain that marred his face, his father's eyes still held that gentle kindness.

"Lu Ten." Iroh rasped, "You're alive."

"Father." Lu Ten pushed himself around to face his father, barely able to believe his eyes. He reached and touched his father's shoulder only to feel something sticky and wet. When he brought back his hand, his palm was colored scarlet with what he knew was his father's blood.

"My son, I'm so glad I was able to help you." Iroh said with a smile.

"Father please, don't talk, you're hurt really bad. I have to get you help." Lu Ten instructed. He looked around trying to find anyone who could help, but the nearest Fire Nation soldier was so far away. Even if he could shout out to them, he knew there was no way they could possibly hear him. Despite this he fought through the pain that plagued his chest, and screamed as loud as he could. Their allies would not turn to face them though. Then with one deep breath, Lu-Ten threw up his left arm, unleashing a stream of fire into the air. A distress beacon known by all soldiers of the Fire Nation.

Lu Ten held his arm up until he couldn't anymore, but when he looked down and saw a unit detach themselves from the main army he breathed a sigh of relief. They were saved. He turned back to tend to his father, but what he saw made him froze. General Iroh was motionless. His chest wasn't moving.

"Father! No! You've got to wake up. Dad! Please!" Lu Ten cried as he lightly shook his father. For one final moment General Iroh opened his eyes, and looked at his son, and smiled.

"Brave soldier boy. March on home." were the final words that escaped the Dragon's mouth, before his heart stopped beating. By the time the detached unit made it to the lonely hill over Ba Sing Se, the great General was dead and his son Prince Lu Ten lay there next to his father, screaming.


End file.
